Electrical apparatus.



Edy

F. CON RAD.

ELECTRICAL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APRJO, 190B.

Patented Aug. 11, 1914.

4 SHEETSSHEET 1.

F. CONRAD. ELECTRICAL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10, 1908.

1,106,368, Patented Aug. 11,1914' WITNESSES:

4 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

F. CONRAD. ELECTRICAL APPARATUS.

I APPLICATION FILED APR. 10, 1908.

1,1 06,368, Patented Aug. 11,1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- 6' 12 7.-

J T; H i' H I: II II WITNESSES: 66

izes, in a wellknown mannerjduring the operation of the converter.- The bulb is mounted on a rocking frame '25 and is partially r The contact members 29, 30, 31 and32'arev s x-grounded by a box 26, the rocking frame being pivotally secured to ear projections 27 von the sides of the box.

The base of the box 26 comprises an insulating plate 28 having a plurality of contact -members 29, '30, 31, and 32 resiliently se- 'curedto it. The contact members are in the form of bolts which extend through holes 33 in the plate 28 and are nuts-'34, by means of which electric circuit connections may be established between the rectifier terminals and the contact members,-

and with enlarged lower ends to serve as contact terminals. The lower ends of-the holes-33 areenlargedto-formrecesses 36 for theenlarged lower endsj of the bolts, and springs a're'interposed between the bolt heads and the end walls of the recesses 36.

'normally in engagement, respectively, with stationary contact terminals. 37 '38,' 39 and 40 which are rigidly secured to an insulating plate 41, said plate being supported upon a racket 42 with which one of the side frames 10 of the core member 1 is provided.

The box 26 is provided'with a frame com- 'prlsingside strips 43 and a cross piece 44,

the former being of such length that the latter may be above the rectifier bulb which projects above the top 'of the box. a A vertical rod 45., having a handle 45 m its upper end, is secured to the cross piece 44. The Pside strips 43 are provided with grooves 46 to receive stationary guide strips 47 that are supported by brackets 48 and 49 on the side frames 10 and extend from the stationary plate 41 to thetop of the tank 8.

Directly above the rectifier device, the

cover member 9 is provided with an opening 50 which is normally closed by a hinged cover 51, the size 'ofthe opening and'the arrangement of parts being such that the rectifier device, together with the box 26, may

' b; geadily removed from the tank by means he rodl=5 and handle 45.

The rectifier bulb 20 maybe rocked in-order to facilitate its starting, in accordance with a wellknown practice, by means'of a hand wheel 52 on the. outer end of a shaft 53' that extends-through the wall of the cover member 9 and is journaled in -a bearing block 54, 'theiinner endof the shaft bem" provided with .a ci'ank55' thatis connect to av projection 56 of the rocking fraine 25 bymeans'of'arod57.-

- The' starting'transforme'r 7 comprises a rovided with set.

- 1,1oe,ecs"

core member 58 that is suppbrted upon the side frame 10 by means of a bracket 59, a

primary Winding 60 and a secondary 'Wind-.

ing 61. The core member 58 is composed of 4 sheet metal punchin which are bolted between a plate.62 an the bracket 59. l

The arrangement of parts is such as to effect a'maximum economy in the space. occupied, and the -efliciency of the device, as a 'whole, is materially improved by reason of the fact that the rectifying device,-the startingtransformer and the regulator proper are all inclosed in a single casing which may preferably be filled with oil or other insulatmg fluid for conducting away thehea't gen-' erated in the current-conducting parts and in the magnetizable core members.

The operation of, andthe circuit'connec tions for, the device may be described and traced as follows, reference being had to Fig.- 9 of the drawings: Alternating current energy may be-supplied from any convenient source, through "conductors 62 and 63, to the movable primaryjcoilss4and 5. The secondary coils 2. and 3 are connected in series ;with each other andithe terminals of the group. are connected to the positiveter'nnnals '21 andi22 of the. rectifying device The uniddle point of the secondary groupisconnected to one terminal of an yexternal uni= directional current circuit 64, the opposite end. of whichis connected to the middle 1 a point of thesecondary-windin'g 61 .ofthe starting transformer 7. The extremities of the secondary winding 61rare'connected to the negative terminals and 24' of the reef tifier bulband the" primarywindingfiois connected to a 'coil 66 whichsurrounds the intermediate leg of the core member-:1 and serves as a source of energyfor the starting transformer.

In startingtherectifying device the hand 4 wheel 52 is rotated to tilt the rectifier bulb suiiiciently to spill mercury from the one protuberance to the otherand to form a bridge of mercurylbetween the terminals 23 and 24. When'this" condition obtains, the

transformer winding '61 is shortcircuited through the mercury and a current fl ows 1n the one direction or'the other which ls-suficient 'to vaporize 'a' "portion of the mercury;

and to-start the rectifying process." Under normal operation, the uni-directionalcurrents and 24 through one half of the winding 61 flow 1 from each ofthe 'mrminals '23- in opposite directions, the circuit being'es'tablished as above indicated-through conductor 64, which may constitute a series are lamp circuit, to't'he' middle point of secondary coils 2-and 3'. Th movable coil regulator proper actsi-na'we known manrent on the external It will be understqod th .t-jvariousstrue turalmodifications may 'efiected within ner-to maintain 's'ubstaritially "constant curtion with a regulator having relatively movable coils and an inclosing casing therefor, of a current-rectifying device having a starting coil that'is energized by current from one of the regulator coils, and a box or casing in which'said device isjtiltingly and removably' supported. v i

3. In electrical apparatus, the combination with a current regulating device having a magnetizable core member, relatively movable coils associated therewith, and an auxiliary vcoil influenced by the core ,mem-

ber, ofv a mercur -vapor rectifying device electrically connec ed to the regulator, and a starting transformer energized from said auxiliary coil. 4. In electrical apparatus, the combination with a regulator having a magnetizable core member, stationary and movable coils and a low-voltage secondary coil, of a current-rectifying device having two negative terminals, a starting transformer having two windings-respectively connected across the terminals of the current rectifier and to flag low-voltage 'sjecondary coil of the regu a or. 5. In electrical apparatus, the combination with a stationary core member, stationary and movable coils influenced. thereby and an auxiliary coil encircling the main path of the magnetic flux, of a mercuryvapor rectifying device having two primary terminals connected to the main secondary circuit of the regulator and two negative terminals, and a starting transformer for the rectifier having two windings which are respectively connected across the negative terminals of the rectifier and to the auxiliary coil of the regulator.

6. In electrical apparatus, the combination with a stationary core member, stationary secondary coils and movable pri-. mary coils therefor, and a stationary auxiliary coil influenced thereby, of a mercuryvapor rectifying device comprising a bulb .having two positive terminals, two protuberances containing mercury and having negative terminals connected thereto, a starting transformer having a primary windingconnected to the auxiliary coil of the regulator, and a secondary winding con-v nectedfa'cross thenegative terminals of the rectifier, an alternating current su ply circuit connected to' the primary co' s' of the regulator and uni-directional current-receiving circuit connected'from the middle point of the starting transformer secondary Winding to the point of connection between the secondary coils of the regulator, said coils being connected in series across the positive terminals. of the rectifier.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 27th day of March, 1908.

p FRANK CONRAD. Witnesses:

R. B, INGRAM, 7 Bnmmr Hmns. 

